10 Things to be Thankful For

10 things that I am thankful for that has happened last year, and will continue to happen in years to come.
1. Life - I know that this is a pretty generic point, but if you think about it, it's by far the most important. If it wasn't for life, where would I be? Exactly. Life is everything, and the essence of being. I wouldn't even have a list to write, if it wasn't for this major point. Life is all around us, and it only takes a moment to truly open your eyes and look at it. It's in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, and in the people around us, even those we don't necessarily like. We can make life easier by helping others enjoy it while they can. Life is too short sometimes, even for ourselves. Not only do we help others, but we need to make sure that we are taking the necessary time for ourselves. If we can't help ourselves, we can't help anyone else.
2. My husband, Mike - Right up there with life, is the love of my life. I have done so much because of him, and will continue to do things because of his unending and unfaltering love, support and words of encouragement. I often wonder where I would be today, if it weren't for his help. He has guided me through some of the worst and best moments of my life and has never held any of it over my head or with the threat of leaving me to deal with it alone. He has been my major support since the day that I met him, and has continued to do so without question. He has helped me find my path in life, and has helped me grow into a person that I am proud to be. Without Mike, I don't know how much of my life would be as fantastic as it is today, and will be in the future years to come!
3. Family - Even though we all have those days where we would rather not be a part of our crazy family, we all know that they are the spine of our lives. They help us when we need it, they are there for comfort when you are in desperate need of comforting, and not all families are blood related. If it wasn't for family, you wouldn't know what you'd like to change for the betterment of your children, your marriage and your life. Plus, you wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for your family...a la, your parents. You may not like your parents somedays, but they did the best they thought and felt they could at the time, so let it go and just be happy you are one of the fortunate ones.
4. Freedom - Again, this is a pretty broad topic. Freedom can be characterized into many different fields of interest. In my case, it's not just the freedom of the country, but the ability to be able to open life's doors to all of the possiblities that I may be interested in. A few years back, I started getting into photography, and more...this year, the doors before me are endless as I find more and more things that I want to dip my feet into to see if it is something worth pursuing. I have been granted this freedom by being with Mike, which is why he is at the top of my list. Without him, and without the freedom he has given me, I'd not have been able to tell you who I am. I have that ability of freedom to be able to discover and develop who I am and where I want to go.
5. Friends - I don't have a lot of friends, but I know that the small, select few that I do have, mean the world to me. Some of them even fit into the family category, and some haven't quite made it that far. I don't tell many people much about me unless they ask for it, but there are some that I feel so incredibly comfortable with that I can tell them anything without any repercussions of what I have said. Those are the friends that I love and want to keep close for as long as possible. It shouldn't matter how long you have gone without seeing or speaking to them, as long as you are able to pick up where you left off as if you had just spoken or seen them yesterday without feeling uncomfortable or awkward. I love that about the small amounts of friends that I have, and I hope to one day make more friends who share the same views that I do about this subject matter. I can only be the best person and friend that I can be and hope that I get the same with the ones that I have.
6. Strength - I found recently my strength that I didn't realize that I had in me. There are some days that I feel stronger than I have ever felt, but I have my days that I feel that I'm weaker than a small piece of hay, easily broken, easily forgotten, but I've never realized exactly how strong I can be. This past year, I have faced so much and have been able to keep my head held high and not allow things to get to me. I've found my voice and people have started to see me in a new light. They don't treat me in the way that they used to, because they know that I will not put up with it any more. I'm no longer that polite little child that sits quietly in the corner awaiting orders. I'm still nice and polite, don't misunderstand me, but I don't allow people to use me as a doormat any more. I think those people, if given the chance to see me again, wouldn't recognize me.
7. Life - I know what you must be thinking...I already used this for my number one. I did, but this is a different sense of the word. I used Life before in the sense of being. This time, I use it in the sense of living. Looking back over the three years of marriage, I've seen how different I've become, the experiences I've had, and the adventures I've been on. I've tasted new foods that I never thought I'd do in a million years, I've met people that I didn't think existed, and I've seen places and things that I've only dreamed about. Each day is a new day full of possibilities and new adventures with no mistakes in it. I often look back on how I used to be, with the people I used to be with, and I know for a fact that my life would have been completely different if I had stayed with those people, doing those mundane things. I've never regretted a single moment of how my life has turned out and how much I went through to get here. Things have never been so great for me, and I have Mike and Life, as well as God, to thank for shaping my future into something as fantastic as this. I know that I may not stay in Colorado for the rest of my life, but I don't fret about it either. I look at it as an adventure that is just around the corner. What new possibilities await me in my life and future? Only God can tell, but I look forward to how my next chapter unfolds.
8. Patience - If I have learned anything over this last year, it's patience. People often pray that they learn patience, and they wait almost a lifetime before getting the ability to practice it. I've been one of the fortunate ones that have learned this early, but never really put it into play until this last year. I know that I will be allowed to grow and become even more expert with this, but for now, I'm content to know that I'm getting somewhere with it at an early age. Throughout the year, I've been able to show patience with family drama, friend drama, things going on at work, waiting for the photography business to pick up, and the stress and emotional turmoil that goes on while trying to start a family. Through this whole last year, I faced depression in the face and said no. Things don't go your way, and sometimes they do. It's rare that things go your way when you want them to, but honestly, I don't think that I've ever thought about patience in the way that I see it now. God gives you what he knows you can handle, and sometimes you feel like it's more than enough, but there is a reason he does it. It's his way of providing you situations in which to be patient in. Yes, the road to get there can suck and you may get depressed, but that is also his way of bringing you back to him. I guess I should also add Faith behind patience on this one, because they are almost the same. I try to live each day as best as possible without losing hope/faith/patience in what I am doing, because it is the major lesson in which I have asked for this entire year past. I think I've started to learn the lesson and use it to the best of my natural abilities.
9. Confidence - This is still something that I am working on perfecting. I've decided to take the necessary steps in my life to make sure that I can build that confidence to where I need it to be. It's never over, as you are always trying to keep it up, and finding new ways to help boost that confidence. It's a lifelong lesson and goal, and I'm prepared to face it head on this year. I sort of pushed it to the back burner last year, and have regretted it. I don't really regret much in my life, as I am a firm believer that the things you go through, shape who you are today, and have never felt resentment or anger towards those that have caused me harm or distress, but I do regret putting this task off for so long, but no longer. This year, I am willing to face this issue and fix it. One step at a time...
10. The Unknown - There are so many curveballs that life throws your way. It's never how you deal with them that is the issue, but how you react when they finally come to your doorstep. There is no way to ever truly know when these things are going to show up, but when they do, you have to be prepared to deal with them, as gracefully as possible. Soemtimes, it's your reactions that can cause the ripple effect and cause harm to others without your knowing. The curveballs aren't always bad, they can be good too. You just need to be able to take them as they come, deal with them as best as you can, and move on. I don't know where my life will go once this is posted, and I don't know how life will become but I do know that I have the power to make it as positive and as enjoyable as possible. I have people that will support me, who will help me when I feel that I am drowning, and I have that love that will help carry me through it. If you have that, then you've already succeeded. If you don't, then that is already a curveball that you're dealing with...but the question isn't if you have that curveball, it's how are you reacting to it? Life has it's way of being unpredictable, and it's only a matter of when it happens to you. If you keep your head held high with a smile on your face, even through the bad times, people will ask you how it is you are able to smile through times like these, and you'll be able to pass on a little bit of hope for those people...who knows, maybe by doing that, you'll end up making the world a better place...one smile at a time...